My Little Sunshine Blog Hop With A Sleepy Monkey Baby Quilt

Today is another day of the Benartex "My Little Sunshine" Blog Hop and it's my turn to 

show you my "Sleepy Monkey Baby" quilt using new fabrics by Cherry Blossoms Quilting.
I've enjoyed Cherry's creations for years and have watched her "blossom" into an
amazing designer. Way to go, Cherry...you rock as a designer!

Cherry Guidry designed the cutest fabric line called "My Little Sunshine" and the fabric 

includes monkeys! As some of you already know, I love monkeys. Well...actually the

real "Monkey Boys", but these fabrics are totally my kind of thing. I was so excited!

Thanks Benartex and Cherry for such a sweet treat!

Those faces and those colors...I love them!

The "My Little Sunshine" fabrics I used: My Little Monkeys Light Lime, Sweetheart 

White/Turquoise, Words Light Turquoise, Words Light Grey

My "Sleepy Monkey Baby" quilt was such a pleasure to sew. 

It measures 40" x 44" and is perfect for a really good monkey snuggle.

The sleepy monkey baby in the middle is surrounded by playful fabric with monkeys and

sweet words that totally remind us of babies and the sweetness they bring.

This guy looks pretty comfy, but it won't be long before he'll be up and playing with the big monkeys.

Fabric cutting instructions:

Cut 1 – 12½” x 16½” – center block

Cut 2 – 1½” x 16½” – left and right, Border A

Cut 2 – 1½” x 14½” – top and bottom, Border A

Cut 2 – 3½” x 18½” – left and right, Border B

Cut 2 – 3½” x 20½” – top and bottom, Border B

Cut 4 – 2½” x 43” - white fabric strips, Border C

Cut 4 – 2½” x 43” - print fabric strips, Border C

Cut 2 – 2½” x 32½” - left and right, Border D

Cut 2 – 2½” x 32½” - top and bottom, Border D

Cut 2 – 1½” x 36½” – left and right, Border E

Cut 2 – 1½” x 34½” – top and bottom, Border E

Cut 2 – 3½” x 38½” – left and right, Border F

Cut 2 – 3½” x 40½” – top and bottom, Border F

Cut 5 – 2½” x 43” binding strips

Cut backing to fit 40” x 44” quilt

Step 1:

The monkey is appliqued to the center block using iron-on adhesive.

I love using Heat n Bond EZ Print Lite sheets because it eliminates tracing.

Just run the patterns through your inkjet printer and they're ready to be ironed to your fabric.

Easy!

 Step 2:

Sew around edges of applique pieces using a straight, zig-zag, or blanket stitch. 

Tip: Adding a light weight regular or fusible interfacing to the back of fabric helps stabilize the
 fabric when sewing on applique pieces, keeps threads from showing through, and helps maintain
 fabric size. *Yes, I did clip away some of those threads that are waving in the air.

Step 3: 

Sew Border A strips to left and right of Center Block. Press seams towards borders.

Step 4: 

Sew Border A strips to top and bottom of Center Block. Press seams towards borders.

Step 5: 

Sew Border B strips to left and right of Border A. Press seams towards borders.

Step 6: 

Sew Border B strips to top and bottom of Border A. Press seams towards borders.

Step 7: 

For Border C, sew one white and one print strip together. 

Repeat to make four white and print strips. Press seams towards print side. 

Step 8: 

Cut each strip into 2½” x 4½” strips.

Step 9: 

Sew blocks together alternating white and print fabric; nest and match seams. 

Press toward print fabric. Make 52 block sets.

Step 10: 

Sew 12 block sets together; nest and match seams. Press seams down. Repeat to make two rows

 of 12 block sets. Sew to left and right sides of Border B. Press seams towards Border C.

Step 11: 

Sew 14 block sets together; nest and match seams. Press seams down. 

Repeat to make two rows of 14 block sets. Sew to top and bottom of Border B. 

Match seams from left and right border. Press seams towards Border C.

Step 12: 

Sew Border D strips to left and right of Border C. Press seams towards borders.

Step 13: 

Sew Border D strips to top and bottom of Border C. Press seams towards borders.

Step 14: 

Sew Border E strips to left and right of Border D. Press seams towards borders.

Step 15: 

Sew Border E strips to top and bottom of Border D. Press seams towards borders.

Step 16: 

Sew Border F strips to left and right of Border E. Press seams towards borders.

Step 17: 

Sew Border F strips to top and bottom of Border E. Press seams towards borders.

Step 18: 

Quilt using your favorite method or the method shown below. Add binding to finish.

Quilt assembly using Therm O Web Stitch n Sew Fleece Sew-in High Loft or batting 
and Therm O Web Spray n Bond Basting Adhesive:

Protect the area where you will be working by placing an old sheet or paper under and

 around the area you’ll be spraying. Place the fleece/batting on your working surface. 

Using the Spray N Bond Adhesive, spray about 6-8 inches across the top portion of the 

fleece/batting from one edge to the other. Place the wrong side of quilt backing face down 

over the sprayed surface of fleece/batting. Smooth fabric to ensure it adheres to the sprayed fabric. 

Continue this method of spraying and smoothing just 6-8 inches at a time until you reach

 the bottom of the quilt back. Check for creases or folds.

With backing fabric right side down and batting face up, add quilt front right side up to 

quilt back using the same spray and smooth method as the backing. 

Once all areas are sprayed and adhered, trim, quilt and bind as desired.

Having a Monkey Boy help take photos of the quilt is a big help!

To get the PDF pattern and applique templates, visit my Craftsy store HERE:

Be sure to visit Benartex's blog, Sew In Love With Fabric, to see the other beautiful
projects made by amazing designers. There's a giveaway of Cherry's patterns on there, too!

Go to Sew In Love With Fabric HERE...hurry to enter!

Tuesday: Mary @ Needled Mom

Wednesday: Carol @ Just Let Me Quilt

Thursday: Erin @ Avery Lane Designs

Friday: free patterns @ Sew in Love with Fabric

Monday: Elaine @ Summer Crafter

Tuesday: Annie @ Annie Smith

But wait, I have a giveaway on my blog, too!

Benartex is giving away a Fat Quarter Bundle of My Little Sunshine every day of the blog hop.

Wow! How awesome is that! You can see the whole collection HERE.

Is this the cutest bib panel...yes!

Just leave a sweet comment and one lucky winner will be receiving

that Fat Quarter Bundle. Hey, it might be you!
The giveaway ends on August 26, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. MST.

Congratulations Linda!

Just A Big Square Bag Pattern

I have a problem making anything small, so this is

Just A Big Square Bag Pattern...not small, not huge, just big.

It's 18" x 18" and holds a lot of stuff.

Just A Big Square Bag

I'm over at the Therm O Web blog today so be sure to visit.

Check out all the other amazing projects, too!

You can find this pattern at Just Carol's Craftsy store HERE.

Penny Rose Prim And Proper Blog Tour

Today starts the Penny Rose Prim and Proper Blog Tour and I can't even 

begin to tell you how lucky I feel to be sewing with these beautiful fabrics from

 designer Lindsay Wilkes’ latest collection, Prim and Proper.

These are the Prim and Proper fabrics I received...I loved them!

The dotted fabric had the cutest border on it that worked perfectly for this dress.

(Pattern by Butterick, 5624, size XLG)

I added a tie around the waist and a flower.

It made it a bit more "prim and proper" with a bow in the back.

Her Little Flower Quilt, 43" x 43"

This is the perfect sized quilt for a sweet little girl!

I had so much fun sewing with these lovely fabrics!

And I'm always grateful for my photo shoot crew...thanks, guys!

You can find Her Little Flower Quilt at my Craftsy store.

A quick and easy way to make the flowers without doing a lot of tracing is to use 

 Therm O Web Heat N Bond EZ Print Lite sheets.

Just run your pattern through an inkjet printer and iron to your fabrics.

Sun, Sand, And Sea...BOM #7

Another block for Sun, Sand, and Sea BOM...it is so cute! 

I've been using Riley Blake Designs' fabrics and I'm loving the solid colors.



Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy is in charge of this BOM

and she has monthly giveaways. Don't miss out on any of them!

All you have to do is link up your block to be eligible.

The patterns are free the first month they are released, but after that they 

will be available for a nominal fee from each designer.

Amy's Block #1 - February

You can find info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

Carol's Block #2 - March

You can find the info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

Carla's Block #3 - April

You can find the info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

Joan's Block #4 - May

You can find the info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

Carol's Block #5 - June

You can find the info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

Carla's Block #6 - July

You can find the info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

Amy's Block #7 - August

You can find info on it HERE and the pattern HERE.

There's a Facebook page for Sew Incredibly Crazy and Friends, too!

 I use Therm O Web's Heat n Bond EZ Print Lite sheets to prepare 

my applique pieces. I love that all I need to do is run the design through

 my printer, iron it to the wrong side of my fabric, cut out the pieces, 

and then press them in place. It is so fast and easy...I love easy!